Qi Shejiang and Xu Siyu had two performances lined up: the traditional crosstalk “Wang Qing Yu” and their newly created program “Selection of a Concubine,” themed around Qi Shejiang finding a partner. The two acts were set at the beginning and the end, while an old piece was scheduled in the middle, where the old master would replace Xu Siyu to pace the act for Qi Shejiang.
At 7:00 sharp, the performance officially began. The host was Xie Qing from the Guanshan Band, who appeared on stage to loud applause, “Welcome everyone to Qi Shejiang and Xu Siyu’s crosstalk special! Thank you all for your support! Please welcome our performers Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang to present the first act, ‘Praise for the Residence’.” “Praise for the Residence” is a classic piece, a rapid-fire act that includes long segments of rapid speech, challenging the performers’ basic skills.
Since becoming apprentices, Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang had practiced diligently under Qi Shejiang, and their skills had improved tremendously compared to their time in school. They modified this old piece without changing the framework but added several new gags, making their performance both lively and skillful. Qi Shejiang was concerned about his students, and he peeked from the side curtain for a while. Seeing the audience’s positive reaction, he felt relieved and returned to the backstage. After Mo Sheng and Qi Leyang concluded their performance, it was time for Qi Shejiang and Xu Siyu to go on stage. Both of them were already somewhat famous, and many audience members had come specifically for this pairing, immediately giving them a particularly warm round of applause. This performance was “Wang Qing Yu.” Qi Shejiang and Xu Siyu took a bow together. Although it was an old act, they had also prepared new gags for today. Before they began, Qi Shejiang glanced at the audience.
Qi Guangling couldn’t come due to work, and although he had saved a seat for Xia Yiwei, she said that Zhang Yue was present and she wouldn’t necessarily have the courage to face him, as she still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that she would soon be related to Zhang Yue.
